Whispers 002

Currently Playing: Nightwish - The Wayfarer

So I have a question for you all. Am I the only one who seems to think that breaking into a reserach facility around three o' clock in the morning was a bad idea? Because, I'm kind of feeling like I'm the only one who eventually thought that this was a really bad idea. Though Kira seemed to be having the time of her life, while I dwelled on the fact that I remember having said once that I got use to breaking rules because of my friends. But this..this was a completely different story. Whenever the rules got broke before we couldn't get into too much trouble, especially not with the law, or even the governement. But here, here we were breaking into a laboratory that had been shut down for years, because of it's dealings in animal-human genetics.

I had heard that they had taken children, mostly those off the streets, or from other institutionalized homes, and had messed with their biological make-up. The rumors told of how the laboratory had been crossing human DNA with that of animals, and how some of the children used had even been given up while still in the womb for this dastardly endeavor. And I was having a little trouble coming to grips with the idea, or even possible fact that Max had been one such child, taken from her family to be experimented on, or maybe she was one of those other children. The one's given up at birth, or even conception, or the one's living in the streets, or in other institutions. I mean..what could honestly have compelled such a twist in the human mind to enact on such a devious endeavor? I was starting to get sick to my stomach, as well as overwhelmed.

We were walking one of the multiple long hallways that seemed to decorate this place, and I lost my balance in having become so lost in my own thoughts. I stumbled against one of the white walls, and braced myself. Kira was at my side almost immediately.


"Are you all right, Fox?" she asked kneeling beside me. I just nodded to her, and then use the wall to support myself as I got to my feet. Kira watched apprehensively. "Did you sense something, or were you just dizzy?"

I glanced at her, curiosly. "Sense something? Like what?"

"Well, I don't know," Kira shrugged. "Maybe you picked up on Max's residue or something."

"What kind of residue?" I asked now skeptic, and Kira just sighed.

"Nevermind," she said, "forget that I said anything."

"You know something," I said looking at her. "Something that you aren't telling me."

"Fox," whined Kira. "Can't this wait, please?"

I sighed. "Fine, let's just find Max," I shook my head, and continued to walk. Albeit, just as I did such, I suddenly tensed up, and then glanced frantically down the hall. There came the sound of thunderous footsteps. "Someone's coming."

"Yeah," said Kira incrediously, "it's sounds like a whole goddamn army."

I didn't say anything to her, and just began to look wildly around our surroundings. Eventually my gaze found a supply closet, and I grabbed Kira's arm. "In there," I said, and pulled her over to it.

"Fox," said Kira. "It might be locked."

"Iie," I said. "It isn't." I reached out to turn the handle, and then pulled her inside after me, closing it slowly, but without hesitation. The both of us then backed up against the wall ducking down listening for the footsteps. And they came loud, and without pause. Kira had been right, it did almost sound like an army marching off into battle. Albeit, despite my earlier attempts at telling her to keep her head low, she suddenly poked it up, scanning the area with a level gaze, though her eyes suddenly widened.

"Max!" she cried, and then to turn the handle. I went to stop her, but everything happened faster than I had anticipated. As the next thing I knew Kira had reached out, and pulled someone inside as Max fell face down at my feet, and Kira quickly shut the door.

"Kira," I cried voice still a mere whisper. "What were you thinking? You could have been caught."

"Ease up," said Kira eyes glittering in the vague light of the hallway. "I know what I'm doing."

"Well," I said looking down at Max, and swallowing hard. "I certainly hope that you do."

As just as soon as I finished my sentence, Max began to wake up and my whole body went tense. She moaned a little, and then slowly opened her violet eyes. Though, the expression she wore was one that I was afraid of. She looked blankly at me, and then glanced at Kira.

"W--what happened? And w--who are you?" She looked over Kira, and I. "Trespassers!"

"No, no," cried Kira kneeling down beside Max, and covering her mouth. Kira looked at me, and I lowered my gaze at her with an expression that read 'toldcha so.' She just sneered at me, and then shook her head. "Max, we aren't tresspassers, we're your friends, and we came here to help you."

"To help me?" repeated Max sitting up. "Why would you want to do that?"

Kira looked between Max, and I. "Memory loss, " I said simply.

"I got that much," said Kira irritatedly. "Thanks for that, Sherlock."

"Why are you calling me Max?" asked our friend, and then she stood up brushing herself off. "My name's CC-332-0596."

Kira giggled. "Would CC be for Carbon Copy, or Copy Cat?"

"Kira," I said, "I highly doubt that this is the time for jokes." Though I did wonder why she had called her copy cat, though, I choose not to persue the issue. Kira just rolled her eyes at me, and whispered "spoiler," before addressing Max again.

"Max," said Kira, "You do realize that this is a place for scientific research, right?"

"Does that really matter?" asked Max."This is my home, and you two are tresspassing." Her eyes grew suddenly violent.

"Ut-oh," said Kira backing up, and I hastily reached out, and shoved open the door, just as Max lunged at Kira, and the two were suddenly in the throw of hand-to-hand combat. Something that I couldn't help but stare at. The two seemed very good at keeping their own against their opponent, or so I thought. But suddenly Max had the upper hand, and Kira was slammed against the wall.

"This could get ugly," said a voice in the backs of my mind, and I blinked glancing around. Kira managed to shove Max to the side, and got out of her strangle-hold, but I was preoccupied all of a sudden. I looked around the area, and then felt what reminded me of an aura wash over me, and I was suddenly thrust into a mist-filled corridor. And before me there stood a young woman with pale pinkish-red hair, and gold eyes. She was dressed in either a maroon, or some purpleish-pink and white uniform. Well, actually the entire uniform was white except for the maroon colored peticoat that was worn over your typical Japanese schoolgirl uniform. A pale pink bow was tied at the very front up by her neck, and around one wrist she had a stringed bow tied there.

"W-who are you?" I asked backing up into what I had hoped would have been a wall, but there was nothing. But all the mysterious girl did was smile at me.

"Sakuuya, you don't know who I am, and yet you called to me?"

"H--how do you know my name?"

"Lucky guess," said another voice in my head as a second young girl appeared. Only unlike the first who looked no older than maybe fifteen or sixteen, this girl looked to be more-so around the age of eighteen. And she had long, straight, silky looking blood-red hair, and gold eyes. This one was dressed in a rusty pink and white school uniform. She walked into the area, her arms folded across her chest, and a cold smirk on her face. "Well what have we here? A little lost fox come to seek refuge in her weary mind. How quaint." Something about her tone of voice already threw me off, and I knew she was not someone to be trusted.

"I--I don't know what's going on here," I said backing off a bit more. "Was I hit with something? Did some of the scientists come around the corner without our knowing? Oh God, is Kira alright?"

The first girl held out her hands to me in calming gesture. Almost like she was telling me to keep my voice low, while the other just smirked watching the whole scene. "Sakuuya, listen to me, calm down. Nothing has happened, Kira, and Max are still fighting."

"How do you know their names?" I asked a little freaked out now.

"How does she know your's," added the second young woman with a cold smile.

The first shot her a sharp glance, but the other didn't seem to take note of it. I just looked between the two, shaking my head. "This is..too weird. What's going on?" The first girl looked like she wanted to say something but didn't, and so the second took the initiative before the first could stop her.

"Ever heard of Multiple Personality Disorder?" said the second girl coldly. I just nodded to her not saying anything. "Well, guess what--" but the first girl cut her off.

"Youka, stop it."

"Why should I, Kerana? Because 'it's not her time to know yet'?" sniped the second girl. "You honestly think that I am going to buy into that shit of your's? You should know by now that you can't tell me what to do. Oh, you can try, but you honestly have no power over me."

The first, Kerana, almost seemed to glare at the second, Youka.

"You've held me off long enough, but now she's called to you, and you can no longer stop me," shot Youka. "Face it, this little kitt is going to get a taste of her own medicine."

Okay, so I got that much now. Apparently Youka hated me for something that I did or another, but that still didn't tell me what the hell was going on. I looked to Kerana for support, but she just sighed and shook her head. Youka just smiled darkly at the two of us.

"You're sick, Sakuuya," she said. "Why don't you ask that beloved foster brother of your's what's going on? He, and Kerana got along pretty well the first time around."

"What?" I asked voice a mere whisper as I looked at her, and then at Kerana. Who again just sighed, but said nothing, and instead just looked at the ground. Youka just grinned broadly at us, eyes cold in the darklight of the chamber.

"Just a little bit of head's up in your direction, darling," said Youka cruelly, as then they both began to fade away as if to only be ghosts, or mirages even.

"H--hey, wait a minute!" I cried. "What's going on? Who are you?!"

Though, there came no reply, as I was jerked harshly to only to find myself laying on the cold stone floor of Reginald's Research Facility. Kira was screaming my name, as she, and Max continued to have it out, until finally a small collection of flame appeared in Kira's hand. She threw the ball of fire at Max, and it hit her knocking her unconscious; she slumped to the floor, and Kira let out a sigh of relief. I was took shaken, and taken aback from what had previously happened between Kerana, and Youka, and now my best friend was throwing fire balls at another of my good friends. Kami-sama, my life really was getting screwed up, and here I thought things couldn't get any worse than they already were. Heaving a heavy sigh, I got to my feet looking between Himitsu, and Max.

"Great," Kerana said. "Now that's she unconscious what's you're brilliant plan?"

"To get the hell out of here," said Kira, reaching down to pick up Max. She looked up at me. "Well, are you going to help or not?" I snapped to, and glanced at her. "Welcome back to earth, space cadet," she teased.

"Hm?" I asked voice still a bit distant. Kira eyed be suspiciously.

"Did you like fall and hit your head once too hard, or what?"

I shook my head at her. "I--I don't know. Let's just get out of here."

"Sure thing, though, first," Kira looked at me, and hoisted Max up, "care to give me a hand?"
Nodding to her, I walked over, and helped pick Max up off the ground. We carried her to the exit of the facility, and then at the back entrance we ran into Jake, and Rae. Both looked genuinely concerned.

"Jake, Rae," said Kira surprised. "What are you guys doing here?"

"Ask questions later, here, give her to me," said Jake, and Kira, and I relinquished Max to Jake who took her in both his arms bridle style. "Come on, it won't be long before they realize that she's missing. Kira, do you think we might be able to take her to your place?"

"My place? Why my place?" asked Kira.

"Because all of us have are parents home at this hour," said Rae quietly as he glanced frantically towards the research building. His gaze locked suddenly on the glass roof.

"Rae?" I asked. "What is it?" I followed his gaze, and could vaguely make out a shadowed form atop the buidling. The glass roof didn't reflect enough light for us to grasp a full look at his face, but I didn't need to see his face before I knew who he was. Stephen.

"What's he doing here?" I asked, and Kira suddenly looked over the roof, and spotted Stephen as well.

"To Hell if I know," said Kira. "Let's just get out of here."

"Was he following us?" I asked.

"Sakuuya, I don't know, but we got to go, now," said Kira anxiously. I then looked towards the doors, and saw the research team's police, and a few scientists filing out.

"Chikushou," I cursed.

"Hey," cried Kira. "That's suppose to be my line."

"Girls!" yelled Jake. "Let's go, now!"

The four of us then sprinted off down the ways, turning corners, and running alleyways to try and shake the guards. When it seemed as if we finally did, we all stopped for a moment to catch our breath.

"Well, I think that that went over quite well," said Kira, and everyone glared at her. "What?"

"Well, now we can't go to either of our homes," said Jake. "I don't think they spotted any of us, but if they knew where Max lived, then they probably know other things as well."

"Like who her friends are," I finished his thought quietly.

"Yeah, so now what?" said Jake.

"I--I think that I might know one place to take her," I said. "The cemetary."

"Fox, she's just lost her memories. She's not dead," said Kira.

"How cute," Youka spat, and Kira withdrew slightly.

"What the fuck--" but she was at a loss for words, and just shook her head. In the next instance I was back in control, looking towards the cemetary.

"We'll have to hurry, though," I said. "She's bound to wake up from that blow to the head shortly."

"Uhm--yeah," said Kira quickly. "Let's go."

As with that we made a break for the West Woods Cemetary, and once we were in the safety of the place I had them bring Max up to one of the shrines. She was beginning to toss, and turn in Jake's arms as it were, and while she did she was muttering something incomprehensible. No one could make out what she was talking about. Eventually I just told Jake to lay her on the ground of the shrine, and then told him, and Rae to keep an eye out, just in case someone might have picked up on our trail. Both boys agreed to it, and then Kira, and I made attempts at waking Max up. And we succeeded much to most of our dismay, though, she wasn't able to recall anything.

Not to mention the first thing she asked was where she was, and when I told her, she asked if something had happened to one of the other troops. Which, by 'troops' I guess she meant experiments. Though, when we tried to explain things to her, nothing seemed to click, and we went around, and around with her until I heard Jake suddenly exclaim that someone was coming. Though, when Kira asked who it were, he said that he didn't know, but as the person got closer his eyes widened, and Rae gasped. Kira ran out to see what was going on, and the next thing you know, I see her ducking from someone aiming to knock her upside the head. I looked at Max momentarily before I also ran out to see what was going on, and nearly lost my balance as my foot caught in one of the stone steps. Albeit, I managed to retain most of my balance, and then looked out across the way at Kira's newest oppressor, and my breath caught in my throat. The person that Himitsu was fighting looked like another Max, and I had to glance back inside the shrine to see Max still sitting there in order to take in what was going on.

Though, it became apparent what had happened. During the time that she had been missing, and the time it took for Himitsu, and I to save her, Max had apparently been cloned. And now I had to wonder if the Max we had was the right now, though, that became clear when the first Max appeared on the steps, and looked down at the other. "CC-343-0698," said the first Max, and the second Max, and Kira's battle halted almost immediately. As the second one looked up, and smirked. Sou, that was an apparent sign that the second Max wasn't our Max. As our Max looked back defiantly, she then walked down past me, and to her clone. A few words were exchanged, and there was a little bit of groping going as the cloned Max gribbed our Max. Not to mention that now that our Max was talking with her clone, her clone began to pay more attention to Kira, and was flirting, and touching her. I felt sick to my stomach, and had to look away. Albeit, when I turned back, Max's clone was suddenly right in front of me, and I gasped stepping back, and again nearly losing my balance.

Max's clone reached out to catch me, her hand coming to wind about my waist. "Ah, and who might this pretty little vixen be?" Cloned Max's eyes flickered dangerously as she gripped my chin. I reached out, and tried to shove at her chest.

"Let go of me," I said struggling.

"Let her go!" yelled Kira.

Cloned Max smirked. "No, I don't think so. Since, I think I know the way to get to both of you."

"Don't do it, CC-343-0698," said Max in a warning. Though, Kira was already ahead of her, as another fire ball was hurled from my friend's hand, and it hit cloned Max directly in the back. There was enough force from the blow that Max's clone threw me down, and my head hit the stone steps breaking the skin as I was knocked unconscious. Max's clone, though, was now going directly for Kira, as they broke out into another spar until CC-343-0698 managed to gain the upper hand, and shoved Kira aside, who hit her back squarely on one of the tombstones. As in that moment a strange glint of familiarity flickered in Max's eyes, and then in the next instance the two were in the throw of battle. A battle that last about a half hour or so, until finally Max managed to deliver the killing blow, and her clone collapsed. Albeit, it was a short lived victory, for in the next moment, Max had collapsed to the ground eyes hazing over. Kira muttered something and then the whole area crossed over into the ghost realm. Jake, and Rae, though, remained in Ningenkai.

I came to in a familiar, and yet unfamiliar world that was painted over with a ghastly green mist coloration. Everything was bleak, and dreary, and spectors wandered about the expansion. Managing to get to my feet, I stood up, and looked around. For a while I didn't see anyone, until I suddenly heard someone cursing in the distance, and I scanned the area. I found Kira stumbling to her feet, there were a few bruises and cuts on her body, but she seemed overall okay. Though when she saw me she pointed at her head, and I reached up to touch the spot that my head had hit on the stone steps of the shrine. I winced as I touched the tender spot, and then pulled my hand away seeing a fine coating of blood now on my fingers.

Kira had now joined me on the steps of the astral form of the aforementioned shrine. "I think you'll live, it's just a scratch."

"Where's Max?" I asked. Right now, I couldn't bring myself to worry about anyone else but my friend. Kira seemed to understand, and began to look around.

"Well, she collapsed over there somewhere," she pointed across the way. "So she should be around there."

"Provided she didn't wake up before us, and wander off," I said with a soft sigh, as we made our ways across the way. Though, as it appeared, Max was still there, curled up in a makeshift ball. There were numerous cuts and bruises all over her body.

"Max!" Kira, and I cried at the same time rushing over to her. I fell to my knees, and reached out to smooth back her bangs from her eyes.

"What do you think compelled her to fight back against that clone?" asked Kira.

"I don't know," I said with a shake of my head. "Do we really have to talk about that now? Max is hurt, she's in need of immediate attention. Come on, help me." I reached out to pick her up, but Kira stopped me.

"Sakuuya, there aren't any hospitals around here. And no healing magick is going to work. This is the ghost world."

"We're dead?" I said more bluntly then intended. I was taken by shock, and surprise.

"Well, uhm..not necessarily," said Kira.

"Then why are we here?"

"Well, I..thought that bringing Max here might help her remember something."

"Like what? Her death from a previous life?" I said bitterly.

"Well, no," said Kira, "but..hey, wait. How did you know that?"

"Know what?"

"That she was a reincarnate?"

"Himitsu, we all are, the dreams, remember?" I said, looking anxiously over Max's body. "We've got to bandage these up."

"But I thought you didn't believe that that was what was happening here?" said Kira either skeptic, or surprised, it was hard to tell by her tone of voice, and I wasn't about to look at her to clearify.

"Ne," I said. "Just like I can't believe the fact that you're a half fallen angel, half fire demon. Or that Max is one of those poor genetically enhanced children. Or the fact that at one point in time you, and I helped in ending the world."

"Sakuuya, how--how do you know these things?" asked Kira voice softening.

"And you expect me to believe that you don't know what I am? Or what Max was? Come on, Kira, you can do better than that," I said at long last looking over my shoulder at her, but Kira stepped back.

"Fox, there is something seriously wrong with you. Did that bump on the head cause you to remember this?"

"Will you just stop? Please? Max needs immediate medical attention," I said. "Just help me to get her inside the shrine."

"O--okay," said Kira with a shake of her head, as she helped me get Max inside. Where I began to bandage her as best as I could until she fnally began to come around. When she woke up, she just blinked looking at us, but she still didn't seem to recall anything. I sighed, and Kira just rolled her eyes, as we went through another round of trying to explain things to Max, until something clicked, and that she remembered us. Though, we had little to no success, if any before we finally just all curled up, and feel asleep inside the astral shrine.

When I awoke the next morning, Max was already awake. She had actually managed to get to her own feet, and was standing just outside the temple, as if to be watching the dawn rise. Kira was still sound asleep, so I also stood up, and walked over to her, standing beside her. I glanced out across the way at what I presumed must have been the horizon in this world.

"There isn't any sunrises in this place," I said quietly.

"I know," said Max, gaze still unwavering from the horizon. I just glanced downwards.

"How are you feeling? How are those wounds?"

"I think I'll live," said Max, and I sighed. "Sakuuya?"

I glanced at her surprised, it was the first time she had spoken any of our names since the night previous to her having been captured.

"Hai?" I asked my heart racing.

"What do you think is the grand design this time around?" asked my friend softly.

"Grand design?" I repeated.

"Yeah," said Max. "Like before, it was the Armageddon, so what do you think it is this time?"

"Matte..you remember?" I asked trying not to be too hopeful. Max finally turned away from the horizon, and looked at me.

"We all are, you, and Kira first," said Max, "and now me."

"But wait, you know who we are? You remember what happened?"

Max chuckled. "Which time? The Armageddon, or when I majorly kicked that would be me's ass?"

"So you remember everything?" I said anxiously, emotion being purely reflected in my dark blue eyes. "You remember me, and Kira. You remember Jake? And Ace? And Rae? And--and everyone?"

"Everyone, and everything," said Max kindly. I looked at her nervously.

"But how?"

"When I was asleep, Mallos came to me," explained Max gaze turning back to skyline. "He helped me to remember everything. And this place..this is the ghost world, or spirit realm." She then looked back at me. "Why are we here?"

"Because I sent us here," came Kira's voice suddenly from behind us. "I thought that it'd help you remember."

"Well," said Max opening her arms. "I'm all cured."

"How can we be for sure?" said Kira eyes skeptic.

"Kira, please," I said, but she had already begun to quiz Max on a whole bunch of things. Both from our previous lives, and the ones we--somewhat possessed at present. vn.nv;; And Max passed with flying colors, so at long last Kira reversed her spell, and we were thrust back into Ningenkai. Though, the way we arrived had been similar to that which we had in the spirit world. Only, Max knew everything, and so too did Kira, and I. But I meant we all still had our injuries. Jake, having seem Max come to had rushed over to her, to check, and see if she were okay. Max told him that she was fine, and that what she had was nothing that a little rest couldn't cure, then she reached up, and wrapped her arms around his neck kissing him softly, and whispered an apologize. To which, Jake said she needn't have to apologize, and then just held her close and protectively in his embrace.

"Come on," said Jake addressing everyone. "Let's get you all home."

"But what about those scientists, and the police?" asked Kira. Jake just shook his head.

"Don't worry about them right now, " he said. "We'll worry about them later, and I don't know about you, but Max needs rest. And I really doubt that cut down the middle of your back is going to heal in thirty seconds worth." He smiled playfully at her, before scooping Max up into his arms once again. Kira just flashed him some sort of look, and then picked herself up, wincing a little from the pain the wound on her back inflicted.

"Fine, you're right," she looked across the way at me. Where Rae was helping me to my feet, I leaned heavily into him, still a bit woozy from the blow to the side of the head, and the return from the spirit world. "You alright, Fox?" asked Kira, and I just nodded to her.

"Let's all just get home, and get some rest," I said softly.

Kira nodded. "Yeah, alright. Jake, are you gonna take Max home then?"

"Yeah," replied the brunette. Kira then looked at Rae, but didn't say anything, and just shook her arms at him. She knew he would get me home safe, and sound. As on our way home, Kira seemed to have forgotten my strangeness in the spirit world, and I seemed to have forgotten what Youka had told me to ask Rae about. All I know, is that when I got home, I went into the bathroom, and cleaned up the cut. Then walked back upstairs, put on my pajamas, and then crawled into Rae's bed where we feel asleep once more.

Secrets once hidden return to the dark, as vaccant memories consume. All around us things and people are changing, something's happening..I can't deny it any more..how about you?